By Dyon Ravell
After a dismal performance against Jinnah, Diplomats rebounded to defeat Grenada. A week earlier Diplomats scored 235 for 6 off 36 overs with Tegana Mc Kenzie scoring 69 not out and Richard Coates 52. Jinnah made light work of the total ending on 238 for 3 to win by seven wickets, Junaid 82 not out, Atiq 60 and Waseem 38 not out. The win propelling Jinnah to their second win of the season.
Selwyn Ramphal registered his third half century of the season with 81. (Photo by Shiek Mohamed)
Against Grenada, Diplomats won the toss and took first strike, getting off to the usually steady start. Francis Mendonca was the first to go bowled D. Alexander for 17 just after he had a superb cover drive for four, 44 for 1. Romeno Deane followed in identical fashion slamming L. Douglas for four to wide long on, only to be bowled with the very next ball 48 for 2 he too made 17. New batsman Richard Coates added 25 with Selwyn Ramphal before Coates fell victim to a controversial dismissal. Coates after completing a double stood his ground for over 10 seconds, only to remove his bat to be run out by wicketkeeper and Grenada skipper George Anthony for 7, 73 for 3.
Newcomer Kevin Charles played a cameo adding 29 with Ramphal in which he took 20 off Casper Davis’ second over. Davis got his man with the score on 102, Charles lobbing Davis’ slower ball to cover point he made 28. That triggered the customary middle order slide. Davis had Selwyn Smith caught at the wicket for 2 and the next ball Andre Kirton skied Davis to mid off without scoring 117 for 6. D. Ravello joined Ramphal and the pair set about to repair the damage. Ravello was giving a life when he was dropped by A. Simon off Davis at slip. Ramphal brought up his third half century for the season the most by a Diplomat. With the score at 168 for 6 after 30 overs Ramphal and Ravello looked to turn there consolidation into offense in the last ten overs.
The seventh wicket partnership was the major change as it yielded 87 runs. Ramphal was adjudged leg before Simon for 81 with the score on 204. The last four overs produced 35 with Victor Benjiman ending on 18 not out and Ravello unbeaten on 45, Diplomats 244 for 7 off 40 overs. For Grenada Davis was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 43 off 8 overs, D Alexander had 1 for 29 of 8 and L. Douglas 1 for 62 of his 8.
In the field Diplomats were spot on from the first over when Mendonca bowled R. Murray without scoring. In over number two Carlos Batchu had his man, J. Peters bowled for 4 Grenada reeling at 6 for 2. Star batsman Anthony drove Batchu over cover twice before Batchu found Anthony’s edge to wicketkeeper Smith, Grenada in a dire position at 18 for 3. Batchu was not done yet as he had C. Logie caught at slip by Ramphal for 14, 44 for 4. Kevin George and Alexander added 38 runs before the latter was caught by Coates off Gavin Smith for 28, 88 for 5. Three runs later Douglas suffered a similar faith to Coates as he played Kirton to mid wicket and left his crease in anticipation for the end of the over only for S. Smith to complete the run out for a Kevin Charles throw, 85 for 6.
Dyon Ravello struck an unbeaten 45 and shared a 87 runs partnership with Selwyn Ramphal.
Casper Davis joined George and the pair set about the last effort to spare the Grenadians blushes. But Gavin Smith had other ideas as he had George caught at the wicket for 31 102 for 7. Davis stroked the ball around the park as he played a cameo of 29 before he was caught at midwcket by Ravello running in for the boundary off the bowling of Kirton. That signaled the end of any Grenadian triumph as the last two wickets folded for 21 runs M. Baptiste bowled Gavin for 14 and A. Simon caught Ramphal off Gavin for 17 Grenada 164 all out losing by 80 runs. Bowling for Diplomats Gavin Smith had 4 for 49, Batchu 3 for 43, Kirton 1 for 34 and Mendonca 1 for 36.
Diplomats will be looking to press the advantage when they meet Queensbury on Saturday at Marine Park B and Pak Kashmir on Sunday at the same venue. However, they will be missing Ramphal and Kirton and will need the rest of the lads to carry the weight as Diplomats attempt to build some mid season momentum.